Taloch
}| }px |caption= |type= Planet |location= |satellites= 1 moon |creator= Pasus |patron= Pasus |technology= Primitive |populations= Humans, Elves, Orcs, Dwarves }} Within this world created and overlooked by the god Pasus, the air is thick with magic. A land rich in culture and history, Taloch is of the most diverse, with a wide range of species and greenery living on the planet. This is attributed to the god who crafted it, as Pasus is associated with life and wilderness. While the planet itself is bountiful with treasures of all kind, its resources and wealth fuel an ongoing war upon Taloch's surface. The kingdom of Selvik spreads across its surface like a plague, having absorbed many of the human territories and spouting a rhetoric discrimination of any and all of non-human species. One human kingdom remains to fight against it, Vashra, as they continue to wage war and shield those who can't protect themselves. __TOC__ History Second Era Age of Genesis In the early years of the Second Age, as many of the Gods left to ascend to their new home of Yulpom, Pasus held the intention to remain tethered to the mortal realm by creating a world in his own image. This world would become known as Taloch, crafted as a vessel to house Pasus' many creations. Due to his influence, large masses of greenery can be found among rich soils, with extensive variation of flora and fauna. The legends and myths surrounding the creation of the first mortals varies, but a common aspect shared in recovered documentation from different cultures insinuates that elves, orcs, and dwarves (frequently referred to as The Triad) were created as equals, meant to compliment and encourage their differences of body and mind. After the initial creation of The Triad, Pasus went forth and used his endless creativity to establish many forms of intelligent life, often in tandem with other gods. While their numbers are far less numerous than The Triad, the Mythics house a large diversity within their peoples and cultures. Towards the end of this Age, Taloch was discovered by the Metajin Regime. The Regime found the world to be particularly interesting due to its vast magical potential and diversity of creatures, but were only able to establish themselves in a few key areas before the events of The Cleansing forced their numbers to either retreat or seek shelter within Taloch. Those metajin abandoned upon the world and cut off from their Source would go on to further develop into the humans of Taloch. Third Era While the natives of Taloch are unclear on the origin of humans (and have developed various stories and myths to explain it), their first sightings occurred within the heavily wooded central areas of Taloch. Their societies congregated around lakefronts and other such water sources, and due to their short lifespans and quick reproduction rate, saw their colonies grow exponentially across the corners of Taloch. Age of Parity While many tribes would establish themselves further north and south, those who remained at the heart of Taloch would go on to develop extremely strong bonds with the dense populations of Mythics who shared the area. Age of Man For many years, all was well as the various species continued their march of progress. However, in the recent century, one of the human nations to the north began to make strategic political and military movements. It was the Selvik nation, who quickly and quietly absorbed their nearby nations under their flag through precise military action or deceiving treaties. Soon, their actions became loud and obvious, openly attacking larger nations and forcing their participation in the Selvik Empire. Now, the Selvik Empire has absorbed a majority of the human countries, leaving only the rocky and difficult to infiltrate rebel country of Vashra against them, and for the moment leaving the elves within their reclusive country of Elisus. The Selvik Empire holds itself together under a rhetoric of hate against all non-human species; by that dwarf, orc, elven, or mythic. Their beliefs dictate that they are to inherit Taloch, and that “lesser” beings are to serve them or be tossed aside at their discretion. These beliefs are strongest towards the center of the empire, within the country of Selvik itself, where no non-humans are allowed into cities unless accompanied by paperwork as indentured servants. Towards the outskirts of the Empire, especially among the smaller towns and villages which have not been fully integrated into the Empire’s ways, animosity lessens to a tolerable degree. Thus, mythics who wish to engage with humans usually do so in such outskirt areas, avoiding Empire solders or remaining in the undeveloped woodlands. Hostilities remain hot between the Selvik Empire and Vashra, with mild skirmishes at their border with several failed invasion attempts on both sides. Vashra currently assists wherever possible to those who still resist the Empire, and act as a safe haven to those who wish to flee to safer lands. Empire solders march across Taloch, attempting to root out those sympathetic to the enemy, and assert their dominance as the war and hostilities continue on. Society 'Technology' Compared to other worlds, the technology of Taloch is very primitive in nature. Items such as electricity, advanced medicines, and power sources such as steam and electricity remained largely undiscovered. The simple burning of wood remains the largest source for heat and power. Wagons and horses are the main mode of transport across land, though there are "Riders" from the Vashra region which are known for their taming of smaller dragon species and use for aerial travel. Weapons remain restricted to those carved or iron-worked, such as knives, swords, spears, bows and arrows, clubs, etc. The exact ''extent of technology differs from region to region and from culture to culture. 'Government' IN PROGRESS 'Language' IN PROGRESS 'Religion' IN PROGRESS 'Diseases' Lycanthropy Geography Selvik Empire A nation with a bloody history, the Selvik Empire has dominated a large portion of Taloch. Through a series of wars and battles, it has conquered its neighboring peoples and absorbed them into itself, leading to a variety of lands that must be managed. Currently, the Empire is waging a long war against the last remaining somewhat-human country known as Vashra while simultaneously attempting to manage its current captured countries. The Selvik Empire is largely human. Prejudice has been bred into the Selvikian people, and this paired with old superstitions and customs makes the Empire a hostile place towards anything non-human. However, this thinking is centered in the deeper and older parts of the Empire while newly gained territories with its "adopted" citizens have yet to fully accept the Empire's ways. These "younger" countries and their people reside along the outer areas of the Empire. As a rule of thumb, the more rural a place and the further away it is from the center of the Empire, the safer it is for non-human to mingle and interact; as long as one evades the Empire's harsh soldiers who seemingly attack / are hostile towards any non-humans they see. A majority of land within the Selvik Empire is very green and fertile. Small and tame woodland areas are scattered about that contain abundant amounts of animals and strange plant life. Lakes, plains, and hilly areas can all be found in the rural areas while settlements that range from simple villages to complex cities have been constructed; a majority of this urbanization has occurred towards the northern/central section of the Empire. Vashra Vashra is located at the southwest edge of the Taloch map. It's terrain is very cracked and unruly, making it very difficult for travel by foot or caravan. Mountains, cliffs, and ridges are common here. However, the land is in no way barren as greenery can be found in lower crevices, valleys, with the temperatures remaining moderately stable and warm when not traveling upwards into higher regions. Humans, orcs, and dwarves all inhabit this country and coexist peacefully. These different species have banded together to protect their homeland against the advances of the Empire to take Vashra into its domain, fending off Empire soldiers with their combined talents. The southern dwarves have built their own structures that utilize the mountains for their own towns and cities. Human beings have crafted their own villages wherever they can in the uneven Vashran ground, be it in valleys with protective walls of earth or built to the sides of small mountains. It's very common for the two species to live within each others locations with little-to-no social backlash. In some places, human and dwarven cities have been meshed together to create truly unique habitats. A race of orcs can also be found here known as goblins. These small creatures can and have built their own lopsided "towns" all around their higher functioning neighboring species. It's not uncommon for a Vashran to return home and find everything in shambles due to a stray goblin "borrowing" materials for their haphazard creations. Though sometimes seen as a pest, goblins are also largely welcome into society and treated with the equal rights of others. Elisus The country of the High Elves, Elisus is set in the southwest edge of Taloch. A peaceful country, the High Elves that govern it have long ago decided to stay out of human affairs and squabbles, distancing themselves from the wars the Empire fuels. Instead, they have created a safe haven for their kind and are wary of any outsiders that may disrupt their lives. The mountain range outside their border does well to keep out unwanted guests that can't traverse the land. Magical barriers have been placed upon the more accessible areas, such as mountain passes, which allow only High Elves and invited guests into Elisus. These "invited guests" are typically traders and students who's duration of stay normally last anywhere between a few weeks to a few months before they are asked to leave. Elisus is the wettest country in comparison to the others, a large portion of itself exposed to the seaside and many rivers and streams making their way across the country to the sea. Because of this, the areas are either rocky and unfit for farming, or are composed of lush, swamplike vegetation. The swamplands are difficult to cultivate for any easily harvestable crops, and so gardens both private and public are placed and maintained inside elven cities. Elisus is one of the rare countries of Taloch to directly touch the ocean, with only a few outlying countries of the Empire sharing the coastline. The ocean is very important to the High Elves, which is evident due to their many cities crafted against the edges of the water. High Elf diets consist of a variety of fish and water-dwellers, though they use magic to lure the creatures closer to shore rather than constructing ships to cross the water. Despite their closeness to the sea, High Elves refuse to attempt to traverse it or allow others to do so, seemingly due to disastrous results in the past. Demography Elves The first of the four Pathforger species to be crafted by Pasus, the elves were said to be originally created from the water of the oceans. Since their appearance, three races have developed known as the Yolan (High Elves), the Hovja (Wood Elves), and the Isthat (Dark Elves). Elves are born with a natural affinity for magic, and house above-average intellect and deductive reasoning. The most well known and representing race is that of the Yolan, who have claimed and inhabited the southeast region of Taloch and deemed the country Elisus. The Yolan retain a policy of seclusion, concentrating developing and maintaining their own society of artisans, craftsman, philosophers, and magic users. This policy has grown more stringent with the introduction of the war, fueled by the Selvik Empire, and caused great unease between the Yulpom and human populations. Dwarves The second species of the Pathforgers to be created, dwarves are said to be originally made from the ores and soil of the earth. Since their original appearance, two races have developed; the Southern Dwarves, and the Northern Dwarves. Originally, the Northern Dwarves were the only culture and haven for their people. They took to the snowy mountain ranges and chipped away at them to create embedded cities, shielded deep away from harsher weathers and temperatures. Their culture did, and still does to this day, focus on tradition and protocol, with ancient bloodlines having large influence within their political system. A portion of the population disagreed with this societal structure and led several large migrations of dwarven civilians south. These dwarves would establish themselves among the craggy, mountainous ranges of Vashra, and have since adapted and become a distinct race and people. Orcs The third species of the Pathforgers to be created, orcs are said to be originally made from the wildfires of the forests. Since their original appearance, three races have developed; the Ogres, the Trolls, and the Goblins. The most well-known and representative of the orc races is that of the Ogres. Typically traveling within large caravans across the roads and trails of Taloch, Ogres are migratory by nature. They value family and loyalty very highly, and their culture calls for them to experience as much of the world and its peoples as possible to gather wisdom. However, do to their somewhat “rugged” appearance and imposing strength, the climates within the towns and settlements of other species have not always been welcoming to their kind. Humans The fourth and final species of the Pathforgers to be created, humans are said to have been originally made from the airs of the skies. Since their original appearance, many races have developed and crossed the lands of Taloch. The humans of Taloch have spread and established many towns, villages, and cities which continue to grow and develop with their own cultures and relationships with other peoples. Humans are extremely complex in their identify, as the only steady factor displayed across their kind is their own unpredictability. They are fairly average in most other regards, but are tenacious and ambitious enough to be found all throughout this world. As such, their interactions with non-humans varies from area to area. The recent development of the Selvik Empire has strained their encounters with non-humans, due to the gradual “anti-creature” rhetoric. Despite this, those humans with old ties and friendships with non-humans retain somewhat amiable and friendly connections with non-humans, largely upon the edges or outside the reach of the Empire. Miscellaneous The word Mythics is not a species, but rather a term referring to the miscellaneous non-Pathforger peoples that compose the rest of Taloch’s population. Some legends speak that Pasus in error injured himself, and from his life-giving blood pounced the varied and numerous Mythics. As beings of magic with many distinct species and races, their relations vary with each other and Pathforgers. Those Mythics that more resemble animals in their appearances have found particular trouble with interacting with more bipedal races, and many Mythic relations with humans have slowly begun to grow strained with the harsh, non-tolerable influence of the Empire. However, Mythics hold deep and old relations with the land and those who dwell there, and will continue to survive and adapt as new species are discovered and recorded. '''Listing' Humanoid= *Banshees *Ichis *Giants *Hobbits *Fairies/Pixies *Minotaurs *Nymphs *Gorgons *Gargoyles |-|Half-Humans/Shapeshifters= *Naga *Spirit Animals (Mystic Animals) *Kitsunes |-|Animalish= *Dragons *Wyverns *Kelpies *Hippogriffs *Unicorns *Griffins |-|Other= *Ao Aos *Shadow Figures Gallery Taloch political map.png Taloch geographical map.png Category:Worlds